Shock-operated speed-controlling apparatus for self-propelled vehicles.



I. H. DAVIS.

SHOCK OPERATED SPEED CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR SELF PROPELLED VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY15,!9I4.

Patented Oct. 5, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

l nverfifor J MM;

O Z84 Z86 I. H. DAViS.

SHOCK OPERATED SPEED CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR SELF PROPELLED VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 15. 1914.

1,155,471. Patented 001.1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

EZUGE 7:

UNITED STATES PA NT oEEIo ISAAC H. DAVIS, OF NEWTONVILLE,MAssAcHUSE'r'rs, ASSiIGNOR, B'Y DIRECT A D MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, orONE-HALF TO HENRY H. WESTINGHOUSE, or NEW YORK, N. Y., AND ONE-HALF 'roMARY c. DAVIS, or Bosro MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOCK-OPERATED SPEED-CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR SELF-PROPELLED VEHICLES.

' To all whom it may concerh: I

Be it known that I, IsAAc H. DAVIS, a

- citizen of the United States, and resident of Newtonville, in thecounty, of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented "certainnew and useful Improvements in Shock-Operated Speed-ControllingApparatus for Self-Propelled Vehicles, of which the-following is aspecification.

This invention has for its object to provide automatic means wherebyinjurious shocks and vibrations to which a self-propelled vehicle, suchas an automobile or a motor truck, is subjected, are caused to tem- 15 lporarily check the vspeed of the vehicle, the injurious shocks andvibrations referred to being those due to roughness of the road, ex-

-cessive speed at curves, to an excessively abrupt application .orletting 1n of the clutch, to excessively quick changes of speed "throughthe transmission gearing, and to an excessively abrupt application ofthe brake in stopping.

The invention when applied to an automobile or a motor truck (each ofthese being included hereinafter in the term motor vehicle) is embodiedin an attachment which is caused by the said shocks and vibrationstotemporarily decrease the speed of the vehicle. Said attachment includesan inertia weight so mounted on the vehicleas to be moved or projectedfrom a normal, in-

operative position by its own inertia when the'vehicle is subjected toan injurious shock or vibration, and speed-controlling means operated bysaid movement of the weight to reduce the speed of the vehicle.

' The apparatus of my invention provides a new means of control of theamount of energy expended in propelling the vehicle,

and,-while inoperative by unimportant or Specification of- LettersPatent.

.view of a portion of the apparatus and of a part of the front axle;Fig. 3 represents an end view of the portion shown by Fig. 2; F g. 4represents a section on line 44 of Fig. 2, and a sectional view showinga throttle valve .and instrumentalities cooperating w1th the weight inopening and closing the valve; Fig. 5 represents a section on line 5 5of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 represents an end view of the weight-containing ortionof a different form of apparatus em odying the invention, said portionbeing removed from its holder; Fig. represents a section on line 7 7 ofFig. 6, showing also the holder of said weight-containing portion and apart of the front axle, the inertia weight being in its normal position;Fig. 8. represents a view similar to a portion of Fig. 7, showing theweight displaced or projected by inertia from its normal-position; Fig.9 represents a section on line 99 of Fig. 7 Fig. 10 represents an endview of a portion of a difierently organized apparatus embodying theinvention; Fig. 11 represents a section on line 1111 of Fig. 10; Fig. 12represents Patented Oct. 5, 1915.

Application filed May 15, 1914. Serial No. 888,767.

ing composed of a head 16, a horizontal tubular body17, and a cap 18, isrigidly attached to the arm 14 preferably by a threaded stud 19in thehead, screwed into a tapped orifice in the arm. 20 represents an inertiaweight within the tubular body 17, said weight being centrally bored toreceive a horizontal guide pin 21 attached to the head 16 and having afree sliding fit on said pin. the greater part of the external surfaceof the weight being supported out of contact with the interior of thecasing to reduce to the minimum the frictional. resistance to endwisemovements of the weight. The in nor end portion 20 of the weight has acyv lindrical surface having a somewhat close sliding fit in thecorresponding portion 17 of the body 17, said portions 20 and 17 forminga dash pot for a purpose presently described. The weight 20 is normallyheld yieldingly in the position shown by Fig. 4, by a spring 22interposed between a seat on the weight and an adjustable abutment 23 ona threaded plug 24 which is screwed into the cap 18, and is engaged by alock nut 25 adapted to secure the abutment 23 at different adjustmentsso that the tension of the spring may be suitably adjusted. 26represents a conduit which supplies the engine cylinders with the usualworking agent, such as a mixture of hydrocarbon vapor and air. In saidconduit is a throttle valve 27, which is independent of the usualmanually controlled throttle valve (not shown). The spindle of the valve27 has a crank arm 28. the pin 29 of which enters a slide 30 in a tubular guide 31. A spring 32 in said guide normally holds the slide 30 inthe position shown by Fig. 4, and holds the throttle valve 27 normallyopen, as shown by Fig. 5. 3-! represents a member for transmittingmotion from the weight 20 to the valve 27, to close the latter, the termclose as here used meaning that the valve is moved toward its closedposition and not necessarily completely closed. Said member as hereshown is an elongated flexible wire extending from the casing whichholds the weight 20, to the guide 31, and inclosed in aflexible sheath35, the wire member 34 and its sheath constituting what is known as a fBowden wire the inner member 34 of which is movable endwise in the outermember or sheath 35. One' end of the member 34 bears against the slide30, and its other end is fastened to a terminal 37 which is fitted toslide in the casing head 16 and through an orifice in the closed end ofthe dash pot portion 17.

When the vehicle is running smoothly without being subjected toinjurious shocks or vibrations resulting from either of the causesbefore mentioned, the weight 20 is held by the spring 22 in its normalposition, and the valve 27 is held open by the wire 34'. which in turnis held by the weight so that the valve closing force of the spring 32is overcome.

hen the vehicle is subjected to an injurious shock or vibration, theweight 20 is thrown forward or moved endwise to the left in Fig. 4 byits own inertia so that the spring 32 is free to close the valve. theslide 30 and wire 34 being moved endwise by the spring 32, as far as thedisplacement of the weight 20 will permit. The spring 22 now acts toreturn the weight 20 to its normal position and cause the weight to openthe valve 27 through the wire 34 and the described connections, theresistance of the spring 32 being overcome by the stronger spring 22.This return movement 1s retarded by the dash pot formed by the parts 20and 17, said dash pot having an air outlet 39 the capacity of which maybe varied'by an adjustable tubular plug 40, the bore of of the spring 22enables the apparatus to be ad usted to respond to shocks and vibrationsof different amplitude, while the adjustability of the air outlet 39enables the period of slowing down to be varied.- It should be herestated however that the weight may be locked in its displaced positionso that the engine will remain slowed down until the weight is manuallyreleased as hereinafter described.

In most cases the displacement of the weight as above described is theresult of carelessness on the part of the operator. To make a record ofsuch carelessness I provide a counter 42 which may be of the well knownVeeder type shown by Letters Patent No. 634,073, said counter having arockshaft 43, an arm 44 thereon, and numbered disks 45 (Fig. 2) whichare moved step by step and successively in a well known manner bymovements of said rockshaft.

The rockshaft arm 44 is engaged by fingers 46 on the terminal 37, sothat the movements of said terminal oscillate the rockshaft arm 43 andoperate the counter.

The weight-containing casing may be readily attached to a front axle 12,without adaptation of the latter other than the formation of holes forthe screws 15. The ap-v ing, with the other instrumentalities carried byother parts of the vehicle.

Figs. 7 to 11 show embodiments of the invention in which a movement ofthe weight by its own inertia may operate to reduce the speed byretarding the spark in an internal combusion engine or by cutting outelectrically one or more of the sparking plugs.

Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 show a construction which includes a contact spring50 attached to an insulating block 51 occupying a recess in theweight-containing casing 170, a binding post 52 attached to said blockand in circuit with the spring 50. The inertia weight 200 is a conductorof electricity and when in its normal position is out of contact withthe spring 50, as shown by Fig. 7. When the weight is thrown forward byinertia as shown by Fig. 8, it makes contact with the spring 50 and thuscloses an elec- III ' by a nut 143. The guide rod 210 has at one end ahead which is seated on the stud142,

its opposite end being threaded and engaged a fla e 145. Said head andflange form the cylin er of a dash pot, the piston of which is formedbya head 146 on the weight 200. The head 144 may be adjusted on the guiderod 210 to vary the tension of the spring 220, which in this case isseated directly on the closed end of the casing body 170.

Figs. 10 and 11 show an embodiment of the invention in which the inertiaweight when projected from its normal position by inertia is locked sothat it cannot be returned to its normal position until it is manuallyreleased. The casing 172 has an enlarge ment 173 in which is journaled arockshaft 174 having an arm 175 which is pressed inwardly by a spring176. When the weight 210 is in its normal position the arm 175 bears onthe weight, as shown by full lines in Fig. 11. When the weight isprojected by inertia from its normal position, the arm 175 drops behindits inner end, as shown by dotted lines, and prevents the return of theWeight to its normal positlon until the rockshaft 174 is turned by anexternal handle 177. to raise the arm 175. A stop arm 178 limits theinward movement of the arm 175.

The tension of the weight-returning spring may be regulated by means ofthe guide rod 211, having a head at one end and screwthreaded at theother end, a nut 212 engaged with said threaded end, and a movable head2'13 held by the nut 212, and forming an adjustable stop for the weight201. As here shown, the weight 201 is normally in contact with aterminal 179 forming a part of an electric circuit which includes a wire180 and is broken by the projection of the weight from its normalposition.

Fig. 12 shows an apparatus in which the weight is adapted to beprojected by inertia and to open a valve, causing the application of abrake shoe or shoes.

The casing body 270 is provided with ears 271 whereby it maybe attachedto a support. The weight 272 is movable vertically in the casing and isnormally supported in its highest position by a spring 273 attached atone end to the weight and at the other end to an adjustable cap 274havin the casing, so that the tension of the spring may be varied byturning the cap. The weight is provided with a dash pot piswithkjgninternally threaded head 144 having ing a screw-thread connection with anipple ton 276 which fits the interior of the casing 27 0, aweight-retarding dash pot being thus provided. The lower end of thecasing 270 has an arm 277 containing an air passage which is connectedwith 'a valve chamber 279 forming a part of an air pipe linecommunicating with a chamber 283 in which compressed air is stored. Avalve 280 controlled by a spring 281 normally closes the an passage, andhas a stem 282 which projects into the casing 270. When the weight 272is projected by inertia its advancing end strikes the stem 282 and opensthe valve 280, thus liberating air from the chamber 283, and causing theapplication of a band brake 284, the air acting on a piston 285connected with said shoe and movable in a cylinder 286, whichcommunicates with the air pipe line. The weight 272 is movablevertically, but it is obvious that it may be movable in a diiferentdirection if desired.

It will now be seen that my invention vir-- tually compels the operatorof a motor vehicle to which the apparatus is applied to operate thevehicle intelligently and carefully and to practice methods which willinsure the vehicle against destructive shocks and vibrations. Theapparatus is so orgamzed or may be so adjusted that it will not beaffected by small shocks or vibratlons, and will respond only to shocksand vibrations of suflicient amplitude to be inurious, the describedadjustability of the tension of the weight-returning spring permittingthe apparatus to be adjusted to such various conditions. In eachembodiment of the invention, excepting that shown by Figs. 10 and 11,the displacement of the inertia a few seconds or minutes until normaland weight causes a reduction of the speed for safe running conditionsobtain, when the I normal speed is automatically restored.

The inertia weight may be located at any desired part on the vehicle,the forward axle being a suitable part, because the weight is enabled torespond quickly to shocks caused by obstructionsand hollows encounteredby the front wheels. I

Means are preferably provided for sealing the weight-inclosing caslng sothat it cannot be opened and tampered with without detection. In theembodiment of the invention 'shown by Fig. 4 the stud 24 is providedwith an orifice 60 and the nut 25 with a slot 61 intersecting saidorifice, the orifice and slot being adapted to receive a wire which maybe provided with a lead seal. In Figs. 7 and 8 I show the rod 210provided with an orifice 62 and the head 144 provided with a slot 63 forthe same purpose.

A road or highway in bad condition usually presents a long series ofdepressions and obstacles likely to cause a series of shocks andvibrations. My apparatus constantly requires an operator driving over aroad of this character to maintain a safe speed, and, when equipped witha counter, is a constant incentive to careful driving, because recklessdriving will inevitably be made known by the counter.

I am aware that it has been proposed to regulate the rate of speed of amotor vehicle 7 and the rate of change of speed of the. same byinertia-controlled means unaffected by a constant speed of the vehicleand adapted to vary the power of the vehicle-moving means. Theinertia-controlled means of the prior art is not so organized that it isre A weight is movable by its own inertia in response to inequalities inor roughness of a road or highway, and is therefore adapted toautomatically decrease the speed of a road vehicle such as an automobileor a motor truck, when the same is running on a v rough road, so thatprovision is made for automatically reducing to the minimum the wear andtear of tires, springs and other parts .of the vehicle.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An apparatus of the character stated, comprising, in combination, aroad vehicle, a motor therefor, an inertia weight movable independentlyof the body of the vehicle and normally held yieldingly in aninoperative position on the vehicle, said weight being movable frominoperative position by its own inertia in response to shocks due to thetoo rapid progress over inequalities and roughness of the road, andmeans operated by a movement of said weight from its normal position toshut off the power to said motor.

2. An apparatus of the character stated,

comprising, in combination, a road vehicle, a motor therefor, an 1nert1aweight movable,

independently of the body of the vehicle and normally held.yieldingly inan inoperative position on the vehicle, said weight being movable frominoperative position by its own inertia in response to shocks, due tothe too rapid progress over inequalities and roughness of the road andspeed controlling means operated by a movement of said weight from itsnormal position to shut ofl" the power to said motor, and by the returnof the weight to its normal position to perm1t the motor to be againoperated.

3. An apparatus of the character stated,

comprising, in combination, a road vehicle, a motor therefor, an inertiaweight movable independently of the body of the vehicle and normallyheld yieldinglyin an inoperative position on the vehicle, said weightbeing movable from inoperative position by its own inertia in responseto shocks due to the too rapid progress over inequalities and iroughness of the road, and motor controllingvmeans operated by amovement of said weight from its normal position to shut off the powerto said motor, and by the return of the weight to its normal position topermit the motor to be again operated, and means for retarding thereturn movement of the weight.

4. An apparatus of the character stated, comprising, in combination, aroad vehicle, an inertia weight normally held yieldingly in aninoperative position on the vehicle, and movable therefrom by its owninertia in response to inequalities in or roughness of the road,speed-controlling means operated by a movement of the vehicle to reducethe speed, a recording device and connections between said weight andrecording device for operating the latter and recording movements of theweight.

5. An apparatus of the character stated, comprising in combination, aroad vehicle, a casing having means for attachment to the vehicle, aninertia weight movable in said casing, means for yieldingly holding theweight in a normal position from which it is movable by inertia inresponse to inequalities in or roughness of the road, andspeed-controlling instrumentalities carried by the casing and operatedby a movement of the weight from its normal position to cooperate withother instrumentalities in reducing the speed of the vehicle.

6. An apparatus of the character stated, comprising in combination, aroad vehicle, a casing having means for attachment to the vehicle, aninertia weight movable in said casing, means "for yieldingly holding theweight in a normal position from which it is movable by inertia inresponse to inequalities in or roughness of the road. speedcontrollinginstrumentalities carried by the casing and operated by a movement ofthe weight from its normal position to cooperate with otherinstrumentalities in reducing the speed of the vehicle, and by thereturn of the weight to its normal position in restoring the speed, thecasing and weight being provided with means for retardingthe returnmovement of the weight.

7 An apparatus of the character stated, comprising in combination, aroad vehicle, acasing having means for attachment to the vehicle, aninertia weight movable in said casing, means for yieldingly holding thewith cooperating dash pot members adapted to retard the return movementof the weight.

8. An apparatus of the characterstated,

comprising in combination, a road vehicle, a casing having means forattachment to the I vehicle, an inertia weight adapted torecipposition,and speed-controlling instrumentalities carried by the casing andadapted to be operated 'by a movement of the weight from its normalposition to cooperate with other instrumentalities in reducing the speedof the vehicle.

9. An apparatus of the character stated, comprising a casing havingmeans for at f tachment to a vehicle, an inertia weight adapted toreciprocate in said casing, a spring which normally holds the weight'yieldingly at one end of its path and permits movement of the weight byinertia from its normal position, and speed-controllinginstrumentalitiescarried by the casing and adapted to be operated by amovement of the weight from its normal position to cooperate with otherinstrumentalities inreducing the speed of the vehicle, and by the returnof the weight to its ormal position in restoring the speed, the casingbeing provided with a dash pot cylinder and the weight with a dash potportion which cooperates with the cylinder in retarding the returnmovement of the weight. y

10. An apparatus of the character stated, comprising in combination, aroad vehicle, a casing having means for attachment to the vehicle, aninertia weight movable in said casing, means for yieldingly holding theweight in a normal position from which it is movable by inertia inresponse to unequalities in or roughness of the road, speed-con-vtrolling instrumentalities carried by the casmg and adapted to beoperated by a movement of the weight from its normal position tocooperate with other instrumentalities in reducing the speed of thevehicle, a counter on the casing, and connections between the weight andcounter whereby the latter is operated to record movements of theweight.

11. An apparatus of the character stated, comprising a fixed casinghaving means for attachment to a vehicle and a fixed central gulde-rod,an inertia weight loosely fitting the casing and centrally bored toreceive said rod, the weight being adapted to reciprocate on the rod, aspring which normally holds the weight at one end of its path andpermits movement of the weight by inertia from its normal position, andspeed-controlling instrumentalities carried by the casing and adapted tobe operated by a movement the road, a throttle valve controlling theadin an inoperative position on the vehicle and comprising,

,of its path and permits movement of the weight by inertia from itsnormal position, means for adjusting the tension of said spring to varyits resistance to the inertia movement of the weight, andspeed-controlling instrumentalities carried by the casing and adapted tobe operated by a movement of the weight from its normal position tocooperate with other instrumentalities in reducing the speed of thevehicle. 13. An apparatus of the character stated, comprising, incombination, a road vehicle, an inertia weight normally heldyieldinglyin an inoperative position on the vehicle and movabletherefrom by its own inertia in response vto inequalities in orroughness of mission of a working agent to the engine of the vehicle,and instrumentalities cooperating with said weight to close the valvewhen the weight is moved from its normal position.

14. An apparatus of the character stated, comprising, inicombination, aroad vehicle, an inertia weight normally held yieldingly in aninoperative position on the vehicle and movable therefrom by its owninertia in response to inequalities in or roughness of the road, athrottle valve controlling the admission of a working agent to theengine of the vehicle, and instrumentalities cooperating with saidweight to close the valve when the weight is moved from its'normalposition, and to open the valve when the weight is returned to itsnormal position.

15. An apparatus of the character stated, comprising, in combination, aroad vehicle, an inertia weight normally held yieldingly movabletherefrom by its own inertia in response to inequalities in or roughnessof the road, a throttle valve controlling the admission of a workingagent to the engine of the vehicle, yielding means normally holding thevalve open, and valveopening means actuated by the return of the weightto its normal position.

16. An apparatus of the character stated, in combination, an inertiaweight normally held yieldingly in-an 1noperative position and movabletherefrom by its own inertia, a throttle valve controlling the admissionof a working agent to an engine, a spring-pressed slide and a crank armconnecting the slide with the valve whereby the valve is normally heldopen,

and a push member interposed between the said slide and the weight,whereby the valve is closed by a movement of the weight to its normalposition.

17. An apparatus of the character stated,

' \comprising, in combination, a casing at- I tached to a part of aself-propelled vehicle,

, valve when the weight is returned to its normal position.

18. An apparatus of the character stated, comprising, in combination, acasing attached to a part of a self-propelled vehicle, and having acounter which includes a rockshaft and an arm thereon, an inertia weightmovable in said casing, means for yieldingly holding the weight in anormal position from which it is movable by inertia, a throttle valvecontrolling the admission of a working agent to the engine of saidvehicle, a spring, and means cooperating therewith to hold the valveyieldingly open, and a flexible push wire having a terminal slidtalitiesexternal thereto in reducing speed when the weight is moved by inertia,and means for sealing the casing.

20. An apparatus of the character stated comprising, in combination, aninerta weight normally held yieldingly in an inoperative position andmovable therefrom by its own inertia, speed controlling means operatedby a movement of said weight from its normal position to reduce thespeed, and by the return of the weight to its normal position to restorethe speed, means for retarding the return movement of the weight, andmeans for varying the retardation of said return movement.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

ISAAC H. DAVIS.

Witnesses:

C. F. BROWN, P. W. Pnzzn'r'rr.

